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Milan Today
By the People, for the People
White House AI Video Falsely Attributes Offensive Comments to Hockey Star Brady Tkachuk
Doctored TikTok video sparks backlash against Ottawa Senators captain and Team USA Olympian
Published on Feb. 26, 2026
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An AI-generated video released by the White House's official TikTok account featured altered footage of NHL player Brady Tkachuk appearing to make offensive comments about Canada. However, Tkachuk has firmly denied making the statements, which he says are completely fabricated and not representative of who he is.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the growing threat of AI-generated misinformation and deepfakes, which can be used to falsely attribute harmful speech to public figures. As AI technology advances, athletes and celebrities must be vigilant in denouncing any doctored content that misrepresents them.
The details
The video, which has over 11 million views, shows altered footage of Tkachuk from a 2025 news conference with the Team USA goal song "Free Bird" playing in the background. In the video, Tkachuk is made to say of Canadians, "They booed our national anthem, so I had to come out and teach those maple syrup eating (expletives) a lesson." However, Tkachuk has confirmed these were not his words and that the video was completely fabricated using AI.
- On February 26, 2026, the doctored TikTok video was released on the White House's official account.
- On February 26, 2026, Tkachuk addressed the video during a media availability, denouncing the false statements attributed to him.
The players
Brady Tkachuk
Captain of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, member of Team USA's Olympic gold-medal winning team, and son of former Coyotes star Keith Tkachuk.
White House
The official office of the President of the United States, which posted the AI-generated video on its TikTok account.
What they’re saying
“It's clearly fake because it's not my voice, not my lips moving. I'm not in control of any of those accounts. I know that those words would never come out of my mouth. So, I can't do anything about it.”
— Brady Tkachuk, NHL Player (azcentral.com)
“I would never say that. That's not who I am, so I guess I don't like that video because that would never come out of my mouth and never had that thought.”
— Brady Tkachuk, NHL Player (azcentral.com)
What’s next
The White House has not yet commented on the controversy or indicated if it will take any action regarding the AI-generated video.
The takeaway
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of AI-powered misinformation and the need for public figures to be proactive in denouncing any falsified content that misrepresents them. As deepfake technology becomes more sophisticated, athletes, celebrities, and everyday citizens must remain vigilant in protecting their digital identities.
